Chapter 343: I Have a Connection in the Rong Tribe

Kong Xinghu's aura was currently extremely violent.

Both attributes were close to four hundred points.

His Vital Qi surged like a rainbow.

He and Yang Ling were originally less than thirty meters apart.

At that distance, he could close the gap in almost the blink of an eye!

If this had been Yang Ling from a few days ago, facing such an assault, he would have had almost no chance of survival.

He wouldn't even have been qualified to fight back.

But right now, Kong Xinghu's movements were still slow in his eyes.

Yang Ling activated the Vajra Bright King Technique and the Great-Grade Azure Dragon Force.

A Sacred Mountain of Vital Qi and a Sacred River of Vital Qi appeared within his body.

These two streams of Vital Qi created a mysterious connection.

Using the Sacred River to protect the Sacred Mountain, the stability of his Vital Qi doubled!

Dual-attribute Boost 60!

Strength Attribute Boost 120!

In just an instant, Yang Ling's base Strength had reached 390!

This included the 60-point Strength boost from the Fire Crocodile Set.

He pulled the Swallowing Heaven Golden Sword from the Green Dragon Ring with his left hand.

His right hand gripped the Centenary Refined Kylin Pickaxe.

The muscles in his calves twitched violently, and he had already vanished from his spot.

Ethereal Steps!

"Hm!?"

Kong Xinghu's strike hit nothing but air, and discovering that his opponent had disappeared, a flicker of panic suddenly surged in his heart!

From his left rear, Yang Ling wielded both weapons with the Dragon-Capturing Saber Technique.

The Swallowing Heaven Golden Sword was using the saber technique.

The Centenary Refined Kylin Pickaxe was also using the saber technique!

The terrifying assault rained down on Kong Xinghu like a violent storm, producing a shower of sparks!

Beneath Kong Xinghu's clothes, he seemed to be wearing an armor-type Divine Armament of no low rank!

"You're not Upper Sixth-Rank!?"

Kong Xinghu's heart trembled, and he immediately pulled out the Divine Armament he had won at auction from the Great Yan Sword Sect.

A Lower Fifth-Rank Divine Armament—the Xuan Phoenix Sword!

Yang Ling's eyes lit up. Kong Xinghu had spent a full four hundred and eighty thousand taels to win this Divine Armament at auction!

[Xuan Phoenix Sword, Equip Requirement: Level 250, Strength 150, Agility 180, Vital Qi: 10000]

[Dual-attribute Boost 220, Attached Skill: Nirvana Xuan Phoenix Sword Beam (Consumes 4000 Vital Qi)]

"I can't equip it, but I can resell it, or just toss it in the Green Dragon Ring to collect dust."

At that moment, the Vital Qi inside Kong Xinghu's body surged madly into the Xuan Phoenix Sword.

"You want to use the Xuan Phoenix Sword's skill, Nirvana Xuan Phoenix Sword Beam? Dream on."

Treading Emptiness! Two-Times Critical Hit! Azure Dragon Force!

In that instant, Yang Ling's speed more than doubled!

His legs lashed out like savage whips, striking Kong Xinghu's body again and again.

The Azure Dragon Force was extremely domineering. It penetrated directly through the inner armor he was wearing, dealing damage directly to the inside of his body.

In the blink of an eye, Yang Ling had delivered forty-nine kicks in total!

Kong Xinghu hugged his stomach and slid backward on his knees for several dozen meters, until his back slammed into a large tree.

The ground was gouged into two deep furrows by his knees.

At that moment, his internal organs had been kicked to a pulp.

But in just a few short breaths, Kong Xinghu had already leaped back to his feet and launched another attack at Yang Ling.

It was as if the injuries from before had completely healed.

"So this is... the gene mutation of a Lesser Master!"

A strange light flickered in Yang Ling's eyes as his figure once again vanished from its spot.

His Strength and Agility both overwhelmed the man before him.

Treading Emptiness! Azure Dragon Force! Two-Times Critical Hit!

Another several dozen whip kicks landed on Kong Xinghu's body.

He once again slid backward several dozen meters, clutching his stomach, slamming viciously into the tree.

"Damn it..."

Kong Xinghu spat out a chunk of shredded flesh from his mouth. What it was, no one could tell.

Yang Ling didn't continue attacking. He simply observed him quietly.

About a dozen or so breaths later, Kong Xinghu, who had looked like he was at death's door, suddenly became full of life again. But this time, instead of charging at Yang Ling, he chose to flee!

Treading Emptiness! Azure Dragon Force! Two-Times Critical Hit!

Yang Ling's legs rained down on Kong Xinghu like a storm of raindrops, landing with insane frequency.

Among them were a few Two-Times Critical Hits mixed in.

Kong Xinghu once again slid backward on his knees for several dozen meters, clutching his stomach, once again stopped by that same large tree.

"This Lesser Master really is as monstrous as the rumors say. This kind of recovery is hardly human."

"The Azure Dragon Force definitely ignores armor, but it doesn't bypass the opponent's physique."

Yang Ling was thoughtful. He was actually quite satisfied with this effect.

If it could also ignore physique, then the Azure Dragon Force's power would be too terrifying.

"Pfft!"

Kong Xinghu suddenly spat out a mist of blood.

The Vital Qi inside his body could no longer be stabilized, and it instantly dissipated.

The pulpy mess inside his stomach was beginning to repair itself at an extremely slow pace.

"You're Middle Fifth-Rank..."

He stared fixedly at Yang Ling, his eyes bloodshot, the veins bulging.

Even from his ears and nose, traces of blood were faintly seeping out.

Yang Ling walked up close, pressing the Centenary Refined Kylin Pickaxe against Kong Xinghu's brow, and crouched down in front of him:

"Director Kong, why don't you just give me this Xuan Phoenix Sword?"

As he spoke, he reached out and grabbed the Xuan Phoenix Sword.

Kong Xinghu gripped the sword hilt tightly, refusing to let go.

This was a Lower Fifth-Rank Divine Armament he had bought for four hundred and eighty thousand taels!

This was a Divine Armament! How could this bastard just take it like that!?

Yang Ling responded by slapping him a dozen times.

Then, the Xuan Phoenix Sword fell into his hand.

Since he didn't meet the equip requirement, the Xuan Phoenix Sword's attribute boosts were useless to him, and he couldn't use the skill either.

Yang Ling casually tossed the Xuan Phoenix Sword into the Green Dragon Ring.

Watching the Xuan Phoenix Sword vanish before his very eyes, Kong Xinghu blurted out instinctively:

"What kind of trick is that..."

Yang Ling ignored him and simply asked:

"Can we have a calm talk now? I want to know where Luo Kai is right now."

"Yang Ling, who the hell are you..."

Kong Xinghu's gaze became extremely solemn:

"I've looked into your background. You're a Vagrant by birth. Even with the highest talent, you couldn't have broken through to Fifth-Rank so quietly. You have no idea how long it takes to prepare for a Fifth-Rank breakthrough, how difficult it is..."

"Who is behind you!? Were you trained by the Fourth Prince? Or are you the disciple of some Grandmaster, deliberately getting close to the Fourth Prince?"

"Are you from one of the Three Princely Capitals?"

Yang Ling still didn't say a word.

Kong Xinghu took a deep breath:

"Tell me. What exactly is your background?"

Yang Ling simply gave the Centenary Refined Kylin Pickaxe a slight push.

A single drop of blood trickled down his forehead.

Kong Xinghu's pupils constricted violently:

"Director Yang, I am one of the four Directors of the Ministry of Personnel—the Director of the Merit Assessment and Records Office! A Fifth-Rank official!

If you kill me, it's murder of an official and treason!"

"And I'm a Sixth-Rank Ironclad of the Ironclad Department. Wouldn't killing me also be murder of an official and treason?"

Yang Ling said with a smile.

Kong Xinghu was momentarily speechless.

"Where is Luo Kai? Just hearing his name sent you into a frenzy. You said I knew too much. There's definitely something to that. I'd like to hear it."

Yang Ling smiled.

"You've taken my Xuan Phoenix Sword. Even if I tell you the ins and outs, you won't let me go..."

Kong Xinghu suddenly grinned:

"Just kill me. When I die, someone will naturally know it was you who did it. Even if there's no evidence, just suspicion alone will be enough for you to come down and keep me company soon enough."

"Before too long, I should be a Fourth-Rank Grandmaster."

Yang Ling said softly: "Look how old I am? Just over twenty. After Fourth-Rank Grandmaster, how far can Third-Rank Grandmaster Supreme really be? I can even hope for Second-Rank Human Immortal.

Do you really think, with my talent and aptitude, I'd be sent down to keep you company so easily?"

"... "

A flicker of terror appeared in Kong Xinghu's eyes.

His heart pounded fiercely, as if against his will.

It was only at this moment that he suddenly realized this person before him could already be classified as a monstrous prodigy.

He knew what kind of achievements such a monstrous prodigy could have if he didn't die prematurely.

In this world today, there weren't many Fourth-Rank Grandmasters who had achieved that rank at a very advanced age.

"Just talk. If you talk, I'll let you leave. Even if you can't stay in Zhao State, can't you go to the Rong tribe?"

"Let me tell you a little secret—I have a connection in the Rong tribe."

A slight smile curled at the corner of Yang Ling's mouth.

Hiss—

Kong Xinghu suddenly gasped sharply!

A Vagrant! A Fifth-Rank at a young age! In that time, he had captured and killed countless Rong Tribe Spies!

"You... you're from the Heavenly Wolf Guard..."

He muttered to himself. Everything was becoming clear.

Only that could explain why Zhao State had suddenly produced such a genius.

Yang Ling didn't say a word. He just looked at Kong Xinghu with a smile.

After a few moments of silence, Kong Xinghu said in a hoarse voice:

"Luo Kai is a disciple of the Immortal God Sect's Sect Leader, and also a disciple of the Star Observation Academy. I met him in the Capital..."

Yang Ling pricked up his ears and continued listening. He had finally managed to dig up some useful information.